Monday, September 29, 2008

If only this were on TV

Check out this awesome pro-Obama video, that illustrates perfectly why experience is no substitute for good judgment.

Speaking of judgment, I exhibited the bad judgment to choose to paint a closet door on the most humid day in September, even though I know from experience that's not a good idea. Unsurprisingly, the door took all day to become only slightly sticky. Not that painting my closet door was a screw-up of Iraq proportions, but, you know.

Dan and I were discussing values the other day, like you do. We concluded that, although everyone talks about values, particularly in the context of voting, not many actually know what they mean. How many people actually think about what their values are? You can say, "pro-life", but that's a political position, not a value. "Guns don't kill people, people kill people," is a slogan, not a value. Of those few who do think about values, how many actually apply those values to their lives and decisions?

Naturally, all this got me thinking about my own values, so I'll try to list a few here, in no particular order:

  1. Fairness: I think you should treat people not only politely but even-handedly, without judging them arbitrarily or too harshly. Of course, we all make our own internal judgments, but you don't have to let your less-admirable thoughts dictate your actions.
  2. Responsibility: We all have our emotional baggage, and oftentimes what we carry with us from our earlier life really wasn't our fault. At the end of the day, however, you have to decide what kind of person you want to be and work towards that.
  3. Curiousity**: For the life of me, I can't understand those people who at a certain point in life decide that they've learned everything they need to know, so they cap their beliefs, slap a coat of lacquer on 'em and go to sleep. In my view if you're not learning you're not living, and that goes both for intellectual and emotional matters.
  4. Community: Although each of us must take responsibility for him/herself, there's no law that says you can't lend a hand now and again. Everyone needs it, and from a purely selfish standpoint helping someone for no other reason than kindness feels pretty damn good.
That's all I can think of right now. Feel free to suggest others, if you like.

**English spelling used in deference to Babyraven.

Thursday, September 25, 2008

Into the realms of fantasy...

...this campaign wanders. Apparently, John McCain is qualified to lead the free world, but not to hold a presidential debate and do anything else at the same time. Maybe when you're older than dirt it gets hard to multitask, or maybe you're just pulling a cheap political stunt. Who can say?

Update: With the bailout deal solidifying, McCain's now vacillating about the debate. Great Zeus...he's like a virgin on prom night. Will I do it? Won't I? How much will it hurt?

We painted the living room this weekend, with the kind assistance of Ultimate Sean and Shushanna. And there was not only paint, but tasty garlic sausage, fresh grapes, and homemade chocolate chip cookies. And Dungeons & Dragons. But the walls are off-white, and now we're moving on to freshening up the woodwork and painting the three doors that open off that room. Then it's on to the dining room!

Thursday, September 18, 2008

John McCain, meet a real maverick

Republican Chuck Hagel recognizes the reality of Sarah Palin, who has seen Russia from Alaska. Here's my favorite part of the article:

Palin herself has addressed the question of her foreign policy experience in a recent interview with ABC News.

"We've got to remember what the desire is in this nation at this time," she said. "It is for no more politics as usual, and somebody's big, fat résumé, maybe, that shows decades and decades in that Washington establishment where, yes, they've had opportunities to meet heads of state."

Right, right...so Washington experience doesn't matter, unless of course Barack Obama can be said to lack it. Then, it's vital.

::punches self in head::

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

This looks familiar

Great Zeus...the woman's not even in the vice-president's office yet and she's already using her political power to shut down investigations over her own wrongdoing. You know, I'm starting to think that despite her thin resume, her startling willingness to consider a war with Russia, and her ignorance of foreign policy basics, Sarah Palin is indeed ready for the White House.

Hey, Dan and I watched a pretty good movie the other night, Sudden Fear. Released in 1952, this thriller stars Joan Crawford and Jack Palance, and is set in San Francisco. The movie sort of changes in the middle, but gratifyingly in my view, and I recommend it. Oh, but may I say that Jack Palance was not good-looking as a young man? Age has improved him, in my view. Not many of us can say that.

New favorite lyric:

"Calling the moon, I can see by her light
This one's going out to the moon tonight
I'm calling the moon
Calling the moon, 'cause I know what it's worth
To tug at the seas and illumine the Earth"

Artist: Dar Williams (Dar Williams)
Song: Calling the Moon
Album: The Green World

Monday, September 08, 2008

I don't normally post Internet things like this...

...but I am so frustrated about this election that I just couldn't resist.

The Rules of the 2008 Election

If you're a minority and you're selected for a job over more qualified candidates you're a "token hire."
If you're a conservative and you're selected for a job over more qualified candidates you're a "game changer."

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If you're a Democrat who has been in the Senate for thee years, you are a Washington "insider".
If you're a Republican who has been in the Senate for 26 years, you are a Washington" outsider"

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If you're white, win a beauty contest, attended 5-6 colleges before finally graduating, join the PTA, are voted to be mayor by 1000 people, govern a sparsely populated state for a almost two years now, and randomly get chosen at the last minute to be VP…you've "lived the American dream".

But if you're black, raised by a single mother, lived on food stamps, help the community, get into Harvard, become the first black editor of the Harvard Law Review, and are voted to be the presidential nominee by millions of people, you are just "uppity".

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If you live in an urban area and you get a girl pregnant, you're a "baby daddy."
If you're the same in Alaska, you're a "teen father."

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Black teen pregnancy? A "crisis" in America.
White teen pregnancy? A "blessed event."
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If you name your kid "Barack", you're "unpatriotic."
If you name your kid "Track", you're "colorful."

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If you say that for the "first time in my adult lifetime I'm really proud of my country" it makes you "unfit" to be First Lady.
If you are a registered member of a fringe political group that advocates secession that makes you fit to be "First Dude."

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If you're a man and you decide to run for office despite your wife's re-occurrence of cancer you're a "questionable spouse."
If you're a woman and you decide to run for office despite having five kids including a pregnant 17-year old and a newborn with Downs Syndrome THAT'S NOT A FAIR QUESTION TO ASK.

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If you manage a multi-million dollar nationwide campaign, you are an "empty suit".
If you are a part time mayor of a town of 7000 people, you are an "experienced executive".

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If you cheated on your first wife with an heiress, you're a Christian.
If you have been married to the same woman with whom you've been wed to for 19 years and raising 2 beautiful daughters with, you're "risky".

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If you are biracial and born in a state not connected to the lower 48, America needs darn near 2 years and 3 major speeches to "get to know you."
If you're white and from a state not connected to the lower 48, America needs 36 minutes and 38 seconds worth of an acceptance speech to know you're "one of us."

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If you're 18, white, and get a 16 year old girl pregnant "life happens."
If you're 18, black, and impregnate a 16 year old girl, you're a "registered sex offender."

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If you're a Republican you think women should vote for a female candidate because you share the same biology, regardless of her stand on issues.
If you're a Democrat and you vote for a woman who shares your ideology, you're "playing the gender card."

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If you're Chelsea Clinton, the right-wing press calls you "First dog."
If you're Bristol Palin, the right-wing press calls you "beautiful" and "courageous."

Friday, September 05, 2008

I need receive no more spam...

...for my favorite arrived in my inbox today. It read:

Good afternoon? My tits wait you here.

Thanks.

Thursday, September 04, 2008

This and that

Why do small pretzels taste better than normal-sized pretzels? I don't know why, but as far as genus pretzel is concerned, small = good.

I confess I haven't followed much of the GOP convention, because to tell the truth, after eight years of disastrous Republican rule, I'm quite close-minded. Those speeches are going to be more of the tax-cutting, gay-bashing, get-government-off-your-back bullshit you always hear from the elephants, and I've had enough.

I did, however, see a pic of John McCain and Sarah Palin (almost thirty years his junior), standing side by side, and I thought to myself, "Americans aren't really going to elect this pair, are they?" Of course, I asked myself the same thing about Bush/Cheney in 2004 and we all know what happened then.

Dan and I did a bunch of work on the house yesterday, particularly on the finished basement room known (by us, at least) as the "Dan Cave." It's filled with all the things you'd expect to find in a lair of Dan's: books, games, the piano, and, of course, a PC. Once we hang Sendara's lovely "Slouching" print, the Dan Cave will be complete.

Fall League starts next week, on the ill-omened day of 9/11. I'm so excited! (Not about the date, but about the league.) That's one of the things that warms my heart about autumn, along with my birthday, Halloween, and the return of my various vests and jackets, spurned because of summer heat. This year there's also my show and a mid-October trip to the land of Madam George and roses, which I haven't visited since the Republicans were still in control of Congress.

New favorite lyric:

"If love's the truth then look no lies
And let me swim around your eyes

I've found a place I'll never leave

Shut my mouth and just believe

Love is the truth I realize

Not a stream of pretty lies

To use us up and waste our time"


Artist: Lightning Seeds (Ian Broudie)
Song: Pure
Album: Cloudcuckooland

Wednesday, September 03, 2008

The show, rescheduled!

Once again, I have scheduled my first self-produced comedy show. Self-produced, of course, means that I have to find the venue, promote the thing, find the comedians, set up and break down, and generally wish that someone else would do all the work. So it's not glamorous, but I'm excited to be doing it nonetheless.

Please spread the word...I'm hoping for standing-room only!

P.S. You can click on the image of the flyer to enlarge it for better reading, but just in case the show is Friday, October 10 at 7pm.